Rhode Island FC dominated the defending USL Championship titleholders for 95 minutes and came away with a point, drawing Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 1-1 on Saturday night at Centreville Bank Stadium in its final regular-season home game.
RIFC outshot Pittsburgh 18-3 and held a 6-1 edge in shots on target, but Eliot Goldthorp converted the Riverhounds’ only shot on frame in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to salvage the draw.
Forward Osman Foyo had put the hosts ahead in the 73rd minute, running onto Nick Scardina’s ball down the left wing, dribbling into the box, spinning away from his defender and tucking a low left-footed finish inside the far post. It was Foyo’s first goal for the club.
RIFC had chances well before that. Goalkeeper Nico Campuzano denied Frank Nodarse’s header in the 32nd minute, made a diving save on Jojea Kwizera four minutes later and corralled a low Leo Afonso shot in the 41st. In the 56th minute, Campuzano dove left to save Afonso’s penalty kick.
Pittsburgh’s equalizer came off a late cross that Jackson Wälti flicked on to Goldthorp, who fired into the bottom-right corner past Koke Vegas.
Defender Karifa Yao became the third player in club history to reach 100 appearances for Rhode Island FC, in the club’s 116th game. Scardina’s assist was his fourth of the season.
Rhode Island FC closes the regular season Saturday, Oct. 24, at Hartford Athletic, kicking off at 7 p.m. The club opens its third straight playoff run in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals the weekend of Oct. 31.
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